Today on the Rachel Parker Show, Rachel is joined by Toronto Sun journalist Brian Lilley who explores the implications of Justin Trudeau’s decision to prorogue Parliament. Lilley explains that it leaves Canada without a negotiator under the looming threat of U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Lilley also expresses concern that the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership race is likely to be subject to foreign interference. And, due to Liberal party rules, non-citizens can vote in the contest that will also choose the next Canadian prime minister.
Finally, Rachel responds to the best and worst clips of the Trudeau resignation.
Following threats to use “economic force” against Canada to annex it, turning it into the 51st US state, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shut down any talk of annexation.
“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” he said in a post on X. “Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner.”
During a press conference Tuesday, Trump ruled out the use of military force against Canada in a bid to annex the sovereign nation. A recent poll found that Canadians are overwhelmingly against the idea of merging with the United States, with only 13% of those surveyed supporting annexation.
When responding to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre saying “under no circumstances” would Canada become the 51st state, Trump said he doesn’t care what Poilievre said.
Alternatively, Trump has said he’s willing to use both military and economic force to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal, citing national security reasons.
“Canada and the United States, that would really be something. You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security,” he said.
“Don’t forget, we basically protect Canada. But here’s the problem with Canada. So many friends up there. I love the Canadian people. They’re great, But we’re spending hundreds of billions a year to protect it.”
President-elect Donald Trump dismisses the idea of annexing Canada by military force, but does not rule out “economic force” as a means to more closely integrate the two nations.
He states that the U.S. does not need Canadian products and questions why the U.S. subsidizes… pic.twitter.com/jl4oKKl8UW
Trump said America spends hundreds of billions of dollars a year to “take care of Canada,” and that the US doesn’t need Canada’s exports.
“(Canada) makes 20% of our cars, we don’t need that. I’d rather make them in Detroit,” he said. “We don’t need the cars, we don’t need their lumber, we have massive fields of lumber.”
He said he could use an executive order to unrestrict the American lumber industry, which he claims would remove US reliance on Canadian lumber. He also named dairy as another Canadian export, which he doesn’t think Americans need as they “have more” than Canada.
Trump didn’t mention oil as a Canadian import, however.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, Canada accounted for 60% of America’s gross crude oil imports and 52% of its gross total petroleum imports in 2022.
He said he intends to take the US away from its current commitment to “losing $200 billion a year or more” in defending Canada, citing that the US already has a $36 trillion debt he seeks to eliminate.
This comes as Canada stares down the barrel of a proposed 25% tariff on all Canadian imports on “day one” of Trump’s administration. At the time Trump said the levy would remain in place until Canada secures its border against illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
Trump said that in a conversation he had with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago on Thanksgiving, which began his relentless mocking of Trudeau as “governor of the state of Canada,” Trudeau told him that refusing imports to the US from Canada would “dissolve” Canada.
When Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday, Trump again mentioned Canada as the 51st state as he bid him farewell.
Trump’s response was that the US only trades and “subsidizes” Canada “because of habit.”
“We’re doing it because we like our neighbours, and we’ve been good neighbours, but we can’t do it forever, and it’s a tremendous amount of money,” he said.
“And why should we have a $200 billion deficit and add on to that many, many other things that we give them in terms of subsidy? That’s okay to have if you’re a state, but if you’re another country, we don’t want to have it.”
Poilievre did not respond to True North’s requests to comment.
Canada’s business community is hoping that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation announcement may clear the air of economic uncertainty but is also worried about how prorogation may affect trade negotiations with the U.S.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that he would be stepping down as leader of the Liberals and prime minister following a leadership contest to find a replacement.
This comes at a time when President-elect Donald Trump has promised to impose a blanket 25% trade tariff on Canadian imports – a move which could send Canada hurdling into a recession.
The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade provided True North with a copy of the statement sent out to members saying that Canada’s political uncertainty comes at a “perilous time.”
“When Parliament returns in March, the opposition parties have committed to triggering an election. The uncertainty in Ottawa comes at a perilous time. With the challenges posed by a Trump Presidency, along with significant domestic and global pressures, Canada needs focused leadership to steer our national economy back on course,” wrote the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
Former Conservative minister of industry and current chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia James Moore also criticized the timing of Trudeau’s departure, pointing to mounting international pressures, particularly from the United States.
“Mr. Trump will impose crippling tariffs & begin mass deportations of illegal immigrants in the US. These actions alone require a functioning government to protect Canada. Instead, we have an absentee PM, a shuttered parliament & a dysfunctional cabinet in competition with itself,” Moore stated.
Mr. Trump will impose crippling tariffs & begin mass deportations of illegal immigrants in the US. These actions alone require a functioning government to protect Canada. Instead, we have an absentee PM, a shuttered parliament & a dysfunctional cabinet in competition with itself.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce issued a statement following Trudeau’s surprise announcement, saying that the decision will help pave a new direction for Canada’s economy.
“His resignation marks a turning point as Canada tackles unprecedented domestic and international challenges. Canada can’t afford inaction with so much at stake. Unity is key: political leaders, businesses, and communities must come together around our common opportunities,” wrote the Chamber’s CEO Candace Laing.
Laing emphasized the need for the next Prime Minister to prioritize the Canada-U.S. trade relationship, fiscal discipline, and policies that boost productivity.
“The time for wasteful spending and over-taxation is done — we need to aim higher and deliver the better life all Canadians deserve,” she added.
Dan Kelly, CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, echoed concerns about Canada’s lack of preparedness for economic turbulence.
“I remain deeply concerned about the significant political and economic challenges facing the country in the months ahead, particularly given the threat of US tariffs and the lack of direction on major domestic issues,” Kelly said in a statement.
Business Council of Canada CEO Goldy Hyder pointed to some of Trudeau’s achievements, such as renegotiating NAFTA, but highlighted several missed opportunities.
“It is unfortunate, however, that the relationship between the federal government and the private sector was often at odds, especially around the need for fiscal responsibility and policies that enable long-term economic growth, including embracing our energy abundance,” said Hyder.
When asked which current MP should take over the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada, Canadians were most likely to choose “none of the above.”
Pollsters contacted1,045 Canadians in a survey conducted by Nanos Research and commissioned by CTV News between Dec. 30, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2025 – the week before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announced plan to resign once a replacement is selected.
Trudeau was included on the poll’s list as a candidate to remain as leader of the party. Other options were Chrystia Freeland, Mark Carney, Mélanie Joly, Christy Clark, François Philippe-Champagne, Dominic LeBlanc, Anita Anand, and Sean Fraser. However, the most popular pick for Canadians was “none of the above.”
Following Trudeau’s resignation, Conservative MP Dan Albas joked about who was taking the early lead in the party’s leadership contest.
Despite the survey being conducted only a week before Trudeau’s resignation, the same survey was given to Canadians on four previous occasions.
In the most recent rendition, Chrystia Freeland came in second place behind “None of the above.” Following her was Mark Carney and “unsure.” Trudeau was tied with “other” in fifth place, with 6% of Canadians selecting each of those options.
Sean Fraser and Anita Anand were tied for last place, gaining 2% of respondents’ approval.
None of the above was the top choice in every one of the survey’s previous renditions.
Other options saw variations, but Trudeau generally hovered around 10%, reaching a record low in the Jan. 2025 edition of the survey.
A separate poll saw Trudeau ring in the New Year facing record-low approval ratings, where the Liberal party polled worse than at any point in its 157-year history.
Conversely, the Conservatives saw an all-time high number of Canadians intend to vote for them over the survey’s decade-long history.
Per the Liberal Party of Canada’s constitution, once a leader announced their intention to resign, the party’s board of directors set a date for a leadership vote.
Candidates must apply to run for the party’s leadership at least 90 days before a vote. At least 300 party members from three provinces must sign a candidate’s application.
The party must also publish registration procedures for party members to participate in the vote.
Therefore, a Liberal leadership election must be at least 117 days long, per the constitution.
Trudeau’s request to prorogue Parliament until Mar. 24 was granted to provide the Liberal Party time to select a new leader.
Unless the party disregards its constitution, a Liberal leader is unlikely to be chosen before Parliament resumes.
An Islamic extremist conference organized by a group banned as a terrorist entity in several countries outside of Canada has relocated its event from Mississauga to Hamilton, Ont.
Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada has announced its conference on “eliminating the obstacles” to uniting a universal Islamic caliphate and overthrowing all other governments around the world said the event will now take place at an undisclosed Hamilton location.
The group, banned in the UK, Germany, India and China but not Canada, announced the location swap on social media following a hard stance against the event by Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish.
The intended location of the event is undisclosed at this time.
The conference caught the eye of tech CEO Elon Musk, who expressed disbelief that the event could occur in Canada.
The original video promoting the event scheduled for Jan. 18 was rife with a glorification of historical Islamic rule and domination, calling for a return to a theocratic caliphate. Other extremist and designated terrorist groups like ISIS have also declared the establishment of a worldwide caliphate as their ultimate goal.
Parrish released a statement saying the citizens of Mississauga were relieved that the extremist conference would not occur in her city.
“I’m pleased that the peaceful and respectful residents of Mississauga will not have to endure the fallout,” she said in a statement on X. “This very extreme group are moving on to another City for their Jan 18th conference. On behalf of all the peaceful and respectful residents of Mississauga, we are relieved.”
Hamilton’s mayor and former Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath released a statement condemning the conference and pledging to refuse access to public spaces to “any group that engages in or promotes hatred.”
“if such actions are reported or reasonably suspected, permits will be denied or immediately revoked, and appropriate measures will be taken to address the situation,” she said. “There is absolutely no place in our city for individuals or groups spreading messages of division or intolerance.”
#HamOnt STATEMENT FROM MAYOR HORWATH – January 6, 2025
It has come to my attention that there is a planned event in Hamilton, which has raised significant concerns for me and our community.
Since learning of this event, I have been in direct communication with Hamilton Police… pic.twitter.com/BLRDBkh7rl
One of the members of the group posted a video to social media where he called on Muslims around the world to “overthrow” their governments globally to install a global Islamic caliphate.
Salman Sima, a refugee and survivor of torture from the Islamic Regime in Iran, told True North in an interview that it’s not enough for Hamilton to stop the conference from taking place on public property.
He said the conference represents a foreign interference and national security threat and is calling for a police investigation of those in the videos promoting a caliphate rule and their potential ties to terrorism.
“The organizer of this conference should be investigated, and if they are the agent of foreign interference in our democracy, they should be in jail,” he told True North. “This is a misogynistic, sexist conference. The idea of Khalifa is of Shariah. It’s really dangerous and has an anti-human rights agenda.”
Sima took to X to warn Canadians about what he views to be the stakes of allowing such a group to promote an Islamist caliphate in Canada.
“Want to know what Khilafah truly means? Look at ISIS, al-Qaeda and the Taliban,” he said on X. “The Islamists are bringing Khilafah to Canada. No one in the Canadian government cares, and any criticism is labelled as ‘Islamophobia.”’
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith delivered a scathing rebuke of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plans to resign, accusing the Liberal government of prioritizing party politics over the interests of Canadians.
In a post to X, Smith criticized the Liberals for the prime minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament, delaying critical discussions and leaving Canada without clear leadership during a challenging period.
“The Liberal party has no such mandate from Canadians, and they are putting their selfish political interests ahead of the Canadian people by paralyzing Parliament and suspending democracy for months while they fight a divisive internal leadership contest,” said Smith.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith: "I'm a bit disappointed that we didn't get an election call today. I think that would have been the better outcome." pic.twitter.com/dVu8PsgcCr
“It is one of the most irresponsible and selfish acts of a government in Canadian history.”
She called on every federal party and MP to force an election at the earliest opportunity.
Danielle Smith says she hopes for stability under an interim Liberal leader and emphasizes her desire for the next prime minister to support Alberta's priorities. pic.twitter.com/9wQl8XxZdI
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that despite the Liberals’ upcoming leadership election, the pending tariff threats against Canada from President-elect Donald Trump must take priority.
Ford chairs the Council of the Federation, informally known as Canada’s Premiers, and held a press conference addressing the tariff threat and Trudeau’s resignation.
He did not rule out holding a provincial election amid the federal chaos.
“We do want an in-person meeting with the Prime Minister. As long as he’s prime minister, his main focus is not on the Liberal Party. It’s not on anything else. It should be the next 14 days — making sure we avoid these tariffs,” said Ford, speaking on behalf of all premiers. “And if we can’t avoid these tariffs, how are the federal government going to retaliate? We have a list of how the province of Ontario can retaliate. We’re ready to make a move.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford urges PM Trudeau to prioritize preventing U.S. tariffs and collaborate with premiers during his remaining time in office. pic.twitter.com/6FXejF4YRT
The Governor General granted Trudeau his request to prorogue Parliament until Mar. 24.
“We need the Prime Minister to continue doing his job,” said Ford. “Prorogation doesn’t mean vacation. It means continuing moving forward as the prime minister as long as he holds that title.”
Ford said that because the Liberal party has a leader with one foot out the door, it’s time for the premiers to step up as leaders for Canada’s trading and economic systems.
As for Quebec Premier François Legault, he thanked Trudeau for his service and said he would continue to work with him as he remains party leader during the Liberals’ leadership election.
“We have significant challenges ahead of us, particularly with the arrival of Donald Trump on January 20. I will continue to work with Mr. Trudeau, his successor, and the current government to avoid these tariffs,” said Legault.
British Columbia Premier David Eby echoed Legault’s statement that they didn’t always agree with Trudeau but thanked him for his service.
“Today, we must come together to protect Canadian workers and businesses against U.S. tariff threats,” said Eby.
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt joined the list of premiers thanking Trudeau while warning of the tariff threats.
“Today, we face new challenges and the serious threat of tariffs. We must stand together as a country and remain focused on defending our workers and economy in the face of these threats,” said Holt.
While not mentioning tariffs, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey joined the others in thanking Trudeau, wishing him well in his next chapter.
Premier of Prince Edward Island Dennis King took a similar approach, thanking Trudeau for his service while speaking no ill of Trudeau.
Smith said Canadians deserve a federal government and prime minister with a clear public mandate to negotiate with Trump.
Bloc Québecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said that he hoped Trump would stall the pending tariff threats out of respect for the statehood of Canada amid its turmoil because no legitimate negotiator is at the table.
The remaining premiers have not commented on Trudeau’s resignation. Their responses will be added after they become publicly available.
General Andrew Leslie, a former Liberal MP from 2015 to 2019 and the Chief government whip of the Liberal caucus, joins Harrison Faulkner to discuss the political implications of Justin Trudeau’s resignation as prime minister and leader of the Liberal party.
Leslie also served as one of Trudeau’s foreign policy advisors before he became prime minister and offers a unique insight into what Trudeau’s foreign policy actually was.
General Leslie was the Commander of the Canadian Army and also discusses the state of the Canadian Armed Forces on the latest episode of The Faulkner Show.
The Governor General granted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s request to prorogue Parliament until the end of March on Monday.
When announcing his plans to resign once a new Liberal leader was elected, Trudeau also revealed that he’d received permission from the Governor General to prorogue Parliament, suspending the current session.
“This morning I advised the Governor General that we need a new session of Parliament,” said Trudeau during his resignation speech on Monday. “She has granted this request and the House will now be prorogued until March 24.”
In the context of Canada’s parliamentary democracy, prorogation is a procedure initiated by the sitting prime minister that marks the end of a session of Parliament. According to House of Commons procedure and practice, “prorogation is a prerogative act of the Crown, taken on the advice of the Prime Minister.”
“Parliament is actually prorogued either by the Governor General (or Deputy of the Governor General) in the Senate Chamber, or by proclamation published in the Canada Gazette. When Parliament stands prorogued to a certain day, a subsequent proclamation (or proclamations) may be issued to advance or defer the date,” it reads.
The main impact of ending a session via prorogation is that it brings all business on the Order Paper to a halt including bills, motions and committee work.
MPs are relieved of their Parliamentary duties until the next session is summoned, which also applies to all Parliamentary committees.
Any unfinished business of bills which have not yet been passed before prorogation takes place will be dropped or die on the Order Paper.
“Bills which have not received Royal Assent before prorogation are “entirely terminated” and, in order to be proceeded with in the new session, must be reintroduced as if they had,” reads the House of Commons procedure and practice.
“On occasion, however, bills have been reinstated by motion at the start of a new session at the same stage they had reached at the end of the previous session; committee work has similarly been revived.”
Prorogations have been employed by governments in the past but not without controversy.
The last time Parliament was prorogued was also at the hands of Trudeau in 2020 when he shut down the House of Commons during an ongoing ethics committee investigation into his involvement in the WE Charity scandal.,
During this same period, there was also a special committee investigation into China’s treatment of Uyghurs and human rights abuses, which had to be abruptly halted.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper also sought prorogation in 2008 to avoid a confidence vote.
Harper’s request was highly criticized by Trudeau at the time.
The long and dark chapter of Justin Trudeau’s tenure as Prime Minister of Canada is officially coming to an end. But not before the Liberal Party chooses a successor to take over the role of Prime Minister and Liberal leader. The nine years of Trudeau have been marked by excitement, scandal, intrigue and deep sadness for millions of Canadians. Like his party, Trudeau is leaving behind a country bitterly divided.
But now there is hope on the horizon for better days ahead. Will Pierre Poilievre rise to the monumental occasion and bring the country back to glory?
Watch the latest episode of Ratio’d with Harrison Faulkner.
